Carnegie church remembers lives lost as Ukrainian war with Russia hits 3-year mark
A Carnegie church is remembering all of those affected as Sunday marked exactly three years since the start of the war in Ukraine.
In the 36 months since then, hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost.
It was a small and short ceremony at St. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church, but it was very impactful for those who attended. That included Ukrainians living in this community and those here to support them.
Before the service started, KDKA-TV spoke with the church's pastor.
"That's going to bring back a lot of memories of terrible things. I remember seeing a family, two young children, lying next to their suitcases, and that's what hit me. You know, I've got a family," Father John Charest said.
Bells rang at the exact moment when three years ago, the war in Ukraine began.
"That's to show that we're in solidarity, that we haven't forgotten all the atrocities going on in Ukraine, that we still feel their pain and still pray for them," he said.
He can't believe it's been so long.
"It's kind of like watching your child grow. Where does the time go?" Father Charest questioned.
They held a memorial service for the lives lost. Every week, they pray for 24 names, for people they know who are impacted: mothers, children, and a prisoner of war.
"We can't forget, we have to keep doing these sorts of things," Father Charest said.
They have refugees in their parish and have done their best to support them.
"We pray here so that we can return to paradise and that maybe this can stop."
Charest does see progress; there have been renewed talks about a deal, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he'd step down if that's what it took to reach peace.
"What a true leader, right? It's not about him," Father Charest said of Zelenskyy.
He believes the country can and will have the chance to rebuild.
"As a priest, I want to stay very positive, and I need to keep people positive. Some might say, 'Well, Father John's always spinning things, right?' But I do have hope that there is going to be a good outcome for this," Father Charest said.
One Ukrainian who moved to the Pittsburgh region a few years before the war told KDKA-TV that after leaving the service, they felt better in their heart knowing that even from far away, they could still contribute and keep their friends and family in their prayers.
